Memories of Florida

Posted on April 29, 2013 by fran

It feels good to be on the road again after four months of sitting still. I was rarely still mind you, but “The Beast” was… sitting in the shade of a big oak tree that dropped things on her constantly, (acorns, tufts of spanish moss, twigs and even limbs at times, not to mention the dust and pollen) and was home to a lot of birds who dropped things on her too! And although I walked Jazzy and Sadie several times a day, they spent a fair bit of time waiting patiently for me to return from a water excursion that did not include them. They clearly share my joy to be on the road again, not to mention the new trails and scents to be found along the way. As the miles disappear beneath me though, my melancholy mind draws me back to my memories of Florida.

Of all the states I’ve been through on my journey, Florida has seen the most of me. One month last spring, and four months this winter and early spring add up to a little more than a quarter of my time out here. I’ve already written about Florida nine times. (see My Favorite Places Revisited for quick links to all of them) You would think I’d run out of things to share, but the experiences just kept coming.

My new friends Glen and Gwen, and their “Gulf to Lake Paddlers” group, got me out on Rainbow River a second time. It was interesting to see how springtime had changed the landscape in the two weeks since we had been there. Many of the birds even acted differently. I’d never tire of the unique and diverse variety of birds in Florida, especially along the waterways.

Great Egret takes flight over Rainbow River

Great Blue Heron in breeding plumage fishes the shores of Rainbow River

Juvenile Little Blue Heron, just starting to show his true colors!

White Ibis in flight over Rainbow River.

Male Anhinga, sporting his breeding colors (note green around eyes), rests above Rainbow River.

Spring colors at Rainbow River

I was fortunate to get my daughter, Elissa, out to visit me twice while camped in Florida. We enjoyed some day trips, including Tarpon Springs and Cedar Key. And although she was a little reluctant at first, I got her out kayaking along Halls and Homosassa Rivers, and ultimately out on the Weeki Wachee. There’s no doubt she enjoyed both adventures immensely!

Kayaking Halls River with Elissa and our new friend Reuben.

School of dolphin making a meal of mullet along Homosassa River

Momma Wood Duck cruises with her babies on Homosassa River

Little Blue Heron, Weeki Wachee Springs

Weeki Wachee Springs

We were also treated to a private stroll along the Three Sisters Springs boardwalk with my friend Kathy. This was shortly before the warmer weather took most of the manatee back out into the Gulf.

Manatee at Three Sisters Springs, Crystal River

Great Horned Owl, Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Park

Curious turtle at Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Park

One thing about staying camped in one place for awhile, it’s easier to build friendships with the people I meet. That was the case with Trish and RD Daniels, and their friend Jim. Trish and RD (neighbors in the campground) invited me to join them for a day trip to the Clearwater Beach area to visit their friend Jim. We had a marvelous time taking a ferry out to Caladesi Island where we strolled the beach for quite some time, talking and plucking seashells from the sand, followed by a sunset dinner on Clearwater Beach.

A walk on Caladesi Island with new friends Trish, RD and Jim.

Willet’s standing on the shores of Caladesi Island

Seashell seashore of Caladesi Island

Gopher Tortoise grabbing a meal on Caladesi Island

Enjoyed dinner at sunset on Clearwater Beach with Trish, RD and Jim.

Another outing, this time to Crystal River and Three Sisters Springs, with my “Gulf to Lake Paddlers” friends. I’m really going to miss this gang!

Gulf to Lake Paddlers, Three Sisters Springs.

Yellow-crowned Night Heron, Crystal River

And days before I rolled out of Homosassa/Crystal River area my wonderful friends Gwen and Glen took me out for a fishing excursion on the Gulf. I managed to catch a two Spotted Sea Trout and two Mackerel. I gave the Mackerel to friends, but made a couple of yummy meals out of the Trout. We spotted a few bald eagle on the way back up Crystal River. Such magnificent birds!

Catch of the day! Mackerel on the left and Spotted Sea Trout on the right.

Bald eagle perched atop a palm on Crystal River

Bald eagle in flight over Crystal River

Four months after my arrival in Homosassa, it was finally time to go. I found myself having to go through a mental checklist before hitting the road. The important things that had become so routine felt oddly new to me again, for a few minutes anyway… secure everything that can slide or fall while mobile, awning in, patio chairs and grill stowed, slides in, jacks up, unhook utilities, clean and stow same, program GPS, dogs in, steps up, break off, take a good look in every direction and take a big WIDE turn out of campsite, find a spacious place to pull over and park, run back for the car, hook up, run through all the gears and let it idle in neutral for 3 minutes, put her in AUX mode, hop behind the wheel of The Beast, buckle up and hit the road with plenty of water, good tunes and a smile!!!

At the recommendation of my friend Jim at Nature’s I made one last stop before leaving the state… Ochlockonee River State Park. This is a small but beautiful park just south of Sopchoppy Florida, home of the Worm Gruntin’ Festival. I got such a kick out of this (and the fact that I’d missed it by a couple days) that I had to stop and ask a local to clue me in. Worm grunting is a technique used for bringing earthworms (bait) to the surface. The “grunters” pound a wooden rod into the ground and rub a metal flatiron back and forth across the top of it. The vibration either gets them excited or drives the worms crazy, but it brings them to the surface.

My campsite right along the river in Ochlockonee River State Park

Pines and Palmettos, Ocklockonee River State Park

This park is well known for their unusual White Squirrels which weren’t running around in abundance like the others, but I did manage to find a few.

White Squirrel, Ochlockonee River State Park

Small pond surrounded by Pine trees in Ochlockonee River State Park

While camped here I dropped my kayak in the water for a 7.5 mile solo adventure on a loop up the Ochlockonee River, down the twists and turns of Bear Creek, and back up the river to the campground. It was a hot, muggy afternoon, but the exercise felt good and I enjoyed the peacefulness and critters along the way.

This Osprey, carrying a rather sizable branch, reminded me of the endless walks I took with the dogs while camped in Homosassa. I was amazed to watch Osprey flying above the treetops and snapping off brittle branches to use in their nests.

Osprey busy building a nest. Ochlockonee River

Curious Alligator on Bear Creek

At the recommendation of the park ranger I took a side trip to Wakulla Springs State Park and did their boat ride. It’s the only way to see most of this beautiful bit of waterway since they don’t allow any other boats on the water within the park, and there are no trails along the water. Because of this there’s an abundance of wildlife. Lots of alligator, turtles and of course all the birds I’ve grown to love. I also visited St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, a vast haven for Florida’s critters.

Nesting Osprey, Wakulla Springs

Bald cypress, Wakulla Springs

Great Egret in breeding plumage, Wakulla Springs

Bald Cypress, Wakulla Springs

Nesting Osprey, Wakulla Springs

Tri-colored Heron, St. Marks Wildlife Refuge

Florida was a special place for me in many ways. The waterways, especially those that can’t be accessed by motorboat, were absolutely stunning. And as I’ve mentioned, I’m a big fan of the birds found throughout the state. What I’ll remember most about Florida though is the wonderful new friends I met there. There are far too many of you to name here, but I know you know who you are. I want YOU to know that you will all be a part of my treasured memories as I travel down the road.

***Note, for those of you who are unaware, I’ve finally created a Journey In Focus Facebook page where you will find more frequent tidbits as I travel. Feel free to go there, and if you’d like, you can “like” it. https://www.facebook.com/JourneyInFocus Remember also that you can sign up for email notifications when I post here by clicking on the mail icon at the top of my home page. And feel free to leave your comments here! I always enjoy hearing from y’all!

Friends along Florida Waterways

Posted on March 5, 2013 by fran

Sorry once again for the delay in sharing my stories with you. I’ve had the opportunity to enjoy some great experiences with many new friends here in Florida, especially on the waterways. Lots of outdoor experiences means much time spent on my computer, loading and culling through the images I gather along the way, not to mention the tagging and writing.

The first stop I made during this venture into Florida was the Orlando area. It was there that I met a delightful new friend and fellow travel blogger, Erika Wiggins. I’ve been back to visit her twice while camped here in Homosassa. Through Erika I met yet another friend and fellow blogger, Rachelle Lucas. The three of us met up for some peaceful kayaking at Wekiva Springs. With so much in common conversation came easily as we enjoyed the serenity of the river.

Wekiva River

Alligator, Wekiva River

Rachel Lucas and Erika Wiggins on Wekiva River

Rachelle Lucas and Erika Wiggins on Wekiva River

I met three more “women of the water” right here in my campground. Donna Egbert, Sally Love and Kathy Edwards took me for a journey up Halls River to remote rookery filled with nesting birds.

Kayaking with Donna, Kathy and Sally on Halls River

Anhinga sunning on Halls River

Great Blue Heron nest , Halls River

I’ve mentioned in my last two blog posts that I’ve met a lot of new friends right here at Nature’s Resort. The “Cast of Characters” as I refer to them. From time to time I hop on a pontoon boat with one gang or another for a relaxing cruise down the river. Here’s some of my favorite characters… John, Gail, John (lots of John’s here!), JB (who’s also a John) and KC.

A few friends from Nature’s Resort

Osprey Nest on Homosassa River

Spider Monkey on Spider Island, Homosassa River

Spider Monkey on Monkey Island, Homosassa River

Alligator on Homosassa River

Pelicans scrambling for lunch on Homosassa River

When an article about my journey was featured on the front page of the Citrus County Chronicle I was almost overwhelmed by the outreach of many locals with suggestions of places I should see, and offers of kayaking adventures. It was that article that brought Glen and Gwen Cook into my life. It took a few weeks before we were able to coordinate our schedules for an outing on Crystal River, first on our kayaks to Three Sisters Springs, and then in their motorboat down the river to the gulf.

Gwen and Glen Cook

Pelican landing on Crystal River

Crystal River, Florida

Cormorant on Crystal River

Yellow-crowned Night Heron Crystal River

Days after our first outing I was invited to join up with a group of their friends for a 9-10 mile journey to Ozello Point and back. This was one of my more intense kayak workouts, in howling winds and waves.

I had a marvelous experience right after we launched our kayaks and headed down the channel toward to river. A hawk had gotten himself completely entangled in some fishing line and was struggling to fly, landing in the water amongst some of our group. He managed to flap himself to the shoreline nearby, but I doubted he’d survive as tangled up as he was. (I saw a dead Anhinga, caught up in fishing line and hanging from a tree limb, while out with the pontoon group above.)

Luckily one of the kids on the dock had a pocket knife, which was passed to me as I approached the hawk. I have to admit the sharp talons and beak of this panic stricken hawk were a little intimidating, but I took a slow and gentle approach. He must have sensed I was there to help because he held quite still as cut the line and untangled the rest from his body and wings. And then I got to hold him for a moment which was very cool indeed! (I believe it’s a Coopers Hawk. Any hawk experts out there??)

Interestingly I had a similar experience with a pelican who got snagged by a young boy fishing off the dock at Nature’s Resort a few weeks ago. I’m now being called “The Bird Whisperer”

Photo by Glen Cook

Long paddle with new friends, Crystal River

Great Blue Heron, Crystal River

With my new friends on Crystal River, L-R… Me, Richard, Carol, Glen, Rick, Layne, Kim, Gwen and Chuck

A day or two later I joined up with Glen, Gwen, Kim and Chuck for an outing at Rainbow Springs! This was one of my favorite spots yet!!

Rainbow Springs, Rainbow Springs State Park, Florida

Waterfall at Rainbow Springs, Rainbow Springs State Park, Florida

Trees at Rainbow Springs

Glen and Gwen Cook on Rainbow River

Tri-colored Heron landing at Rainbow Springs

Tri-colored Heron at Rainbow Springs

Anhinga at Rainbow River

Great Egret, Rainbow River

Rainbow River

Turtle sunning on Rainbow River

Sandhill Crane, Rainbow River

Anhinga and turtle on Rainbow River

Cormorant nests on Rainbow River

Little Blue Heron on Rainbow River

Rainbow River

Great Blue Heron and nest atop a tree on Rainbow Springs

Red Cardinal at Rainbow Springs

I’ve mentioned numerous times how fortunate I have been to meet so many wonderful new friends as I’ve traveled across this country. And none more friendly and engaging than those I’ve met and shared time with in the Crystal River/Homosassa area. Thank you one and all for adding to the blessings and memories on my journey.

Florida Take Two!

Posted on January 2, 2013 by fran

I spent more than a month under a rain cloud in Florida last spring, from Navarre Beach near Destin, down into the Keys, and all the way up to Flagler Beach on the northeast corner of the state with several stops in between. I had a few warm sunny days, but mostly it rained… more accurately, it stormed! I saw some amazing places though, which you can read about from here and another 4 or 5 posts beyond… Rolling Into Spring. I also spent lots of time with some great friends, old and new.

When I left Florida in late May I promised myself I’d return… to revisit some of these places and friends, and discover more of this beautiful and diverse state. Now I’m back, for an indefinite period of time. After more than 15 months and 23,000 miles on the road it’s time to slow the pace a bit so I can focus on several projects. That doesn’t mean I won’t be having fun and seeking out new adventures while I’m here, I assure you!

My first stop was Orlando, where my good friends Bonnie and Scott were visiting family. Bonnie has four sisters, so I was able to blend in almost undetected amongst them! We spent one day at Kennedy Space Center on Cape Canaveral with Bonnie’s sister and brother-in-law, Sandy and Larry. Very interesting place! We enjoyed doing a shuttle launch simulator, a tour out past the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A, gawking at the HUGE rockets and all sorts of amazing memorabilia… from moon rocks to the earliest of space suits. We also attended a lunch with astronaut Jack Lousma. He spoke for awhile about his experiences, the most famous of which was… during his roll as CAPCOM to Apollo 13… being the one who received the message, “Houston, we’ve had a problem.”

I was a small child when John Glenn first orbited the earth, and only nine when Neil Armstrong first stepped on the moon, but I remember how everyone was riveted to their televisions and radios… all eyes and ears on NASA… watching the launches on pins and needles. The one thing that struck me the most while touring Kennedy Space Center was the heroics of the astronauts. What brave souls… especially in the early days… to go where no man had gone before strapped into sixty two thousand pounds of metal and twenty eight hundred pounds of fuel!!!

“Rocket Garden”

Saturn V Rocket

Vehicle Assembly Building

Launch Pad 39A

With Larry, Sandy, Scott, Bonnie and astronaut Jack Lousma

While in Orlando I camped in Wekiwa Springs State Park, which I found to be spacious and peaceful. I have to admit to being confused by the name Wekiwa, since the river that is fed by the spring is called Wekiva. While driving through the area I saw street signs and businesses using both spellings. I was so perplexed that I asked several people who live in the area and found that even the locals are confused by the names.

Call me curious, but I had to dig for an answer. I had a hunch, and it probably nagged at me most because of the name of the street I lived on in Texas… Calvery Court. Not only was the name misspelled in the city records, it wasn’t even the right word! In a subdivision named Custer Creek, with streets names like Big Horn Trail and Last Stand, it makes sense the word they meant to use was Cavalry, a division of the army who fought on horseback. Calvery is not a word, but Calvary refers to the hill outside of Jerusalem where Jesus was crucified. That un-ammended error irritated me for the 15 years I lived on that street.

What I found when I started digging around online were conflicting answers. One source said that the Indians who once lived in the area used the w spelling for still water and the v spelling for moving water, and another had a slightly different but similar answer, that Wekiwa means “spring of water” while Wekiva means “flowing water.”

An article written by Jim Toner for the Orlando Sentinel told of Arthur E. Francke Jr., a historian and former board member of the Seminole County Historical Commission, who after careful research concluded that the proper spelling is Wekiwa. He wrote: “The confusion arises from the fact that the river, originally spelled as Wekiwa, over the years apparently through inattention and disregard for careful spelling, became known as the Wekiva River.”

The article stated that wekiwa is a Seminole-Creek Indian word for a spring of water. And that there was some debate whether different Indian words were used to describe a spring and a river, but apparently that was put to rest by linguists who said Native American languages do not have the letter “v.”

Although I prefer the idea that they are different words with different meanings, I’m putting my money on the spelling blunder. Whether Wekiwa or Wekiva, I enjoyed an afternoon of kayaking on this beautiful river… home to an abundance of wildlife, including alligator, turtles and a variety of waterfowl.

Wekiva River

Great Blue Heron

Great Egret

Great Egret in flight

Little Blue Heron on the hunt

Sunning Red-bellied Turtles

Turtles and alligator sharing a log

Moorhen

I noticed several signs in the park prohibiting dogs from the areas near the water, and judging by the number of alligators I spotted on this river it’s pretty clear why. I didn’t feel threatened by them in my kayak, but I have to admit that it did creep me out a little when I paddled close to this turtle and got a shot of him before I noticed the alligator on the bank behind him. And the following image… of what I assume is a momma alligator (note the larger one in the middle) amongst her adolescent brood. Three of the young ones slipped into the water as I paddled near, and I count eight different gators in the picture.

Family of Gators

Curious mind strikes again! When googled, I found out that a female alligator will lay between 20 and 50 eggs in a nest. I also learned that the sex of the hatchlings depends on the temperature of the nest during incubation. 86 degrees and below produces females, while 93 degrees and above produces males. I’m guessing that means temps between 86 and 93 produce male and female offspring. Although a mother alligator will defend her young, they have a mortality rate of up to fifty percent in the first year, and the biggest threat is other adult alligators. No wonder these youngin’s are sticking close to mom!

While in Orlando I also had the pleasure of meeting one of the fellow travel/adventure bloggers I’ve connected with virtually. When I realized that Erika Wiggins lived very hear where I was heading in the Orlando area I sent her a note to see if she’d like to meet in person. What we discovered over lunch was that although we were brought up very differently, we share many similarities in spirit, and just like that a new friendship was forged. You can find out more about my new friend on her blog, The Active Explorer.

When I left Orlando I relocated a couple hours west near Crystal River where I would finally have a chance to swim with some Florida Manatee, a story I’ll be sharing with you soon. In the mean time though, the girls and I made a car trip back to Orlando to spend Christmas Eve with Sandy, Larry and family, and Christmas day with Erika and her family! I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again… I am blessed to have such amazing friends in my life!

So… stay tuned for more of Florida, it’s beautiful waterways, abundance of waterfowl and my Manatee encounter!

Drawn Back to the Sea

Posted on December 16, 2012 by fran

The picture of Elissa below was taken a month ago while celebrating her twentieth birthday in Asheville North Carolina. I don’t know if I’m more astonished that my little girl is twenty, or that a whole month has already gone by since then! As always, our time together was precious to me and went by far too quickly.

My baby turns twenty!

I’ve made a tradition of letting Elissa update my map of all the states I’ve been through each time she joins me on my journey. I usually get a bit of heckling about the ones I’ve missed, but I think even she was amazed that I’ve actually made it through 43 states since I left Texas 15 months ago, and many of those states two or three times!

Elissa continuing the tradition of adding recent states to my map

A day trip along the very popular Blue Ridge Parkway was top on my list of things I hoped to share with Elissa while we were there but it was closed in both directions, due to snow one way and an accident the other. Instead we took a trip to DuPont State Forest and hiked out to Triple Falls which is the background to scenes from the popular movie The Hunger Games. Sadly what autumn color might have remained was stripped from the trees on the fringes of Hurricane Sandy so we did not get to experience the area at it’s finest. I’m hoping to get back here in the spring!

Triple Falls in DuPont State Forest

While in Asheville we got to spend some time with clients who’ve become very dear friends. Steve and Lisa Jane Johnson flew out from Texas so that I could do their annual Christmas card portrait. I’ve been a part of this long standing tradition for many years, and since I’ve gotten to know some of their extended family I’m sworn to secrecy every year. The cards are aways beautiful and creative, and kept under wraps until they arrive in the mail. I would share, but Lisa Jane would then have to shoot me!

While in route to a second camp spot in South Carolina Elissa and I were amazed at how much more color we found on the trees as we traveled south on the highway. With little change to the climate and type of foliage I can’t comprehend the difference, but it drew us out for a walk in the woods once we were settled in our campsite.

I’ve mentioned before that the only significant hardship on my journey is being away from Elissa. We’ve managed to find some time together during all of her breaks from school, and I have to admit I always anticipate her arrival like a child anxiously waits for Christmas. Each time I see her at the airport I am overwhelmed with emotion… my miracle, my precious baby, my spirited and headstrong child… grown into a beautiful, vivacious, loyal and loving young woman. How is this transformation possible in the blink of an eye?

After a precious few days with her I’m filled with even more emotion when I have to say goodbye and put her on a plane back home to Texas. And then comes the hard part. The quite after the joy. It’s hard to shake off the sadness when Elissa has gone home. My best remedy is immersing myself in a beautiful place… hiking through a thick green forest, kayaking a beautiful waterway, or strolling up a beach to the sound of the crashing waves. Much to my dismay I spent the next ten days camped in barren forests under dark gray skies and pouring rain. Talk about a funk!

Thank goodness I had my very dear friends Eddie Tapp and Judy Host to visit in Atlanta. I hovered north of the city waiting for both of them to return home from individual business trips, but as soon as they were back I was on their doorstep and ready for some healing time with two of the most loving and sincere people I know.

While in the Atlanta area I also soaked up some time with a another friend, Rainy Chastine, and her family. As with many of the friends I’ve visited along my journey, these three are all fellow photographers. Professional photographers I should say… old school. (As in we’ve all been around for a good long while!) I don’t know how to adequately describe the bond shared amongst our peers, at least not in brief, but I will say it’s really quite remarkable.

Interestingly, time with these friends gave me a good excuse to take a bit of a sabbatical… from driving, from shooting and from blogging. For more than a week I enjoyed “normal stuff”. Normal as in not nomadic. I cooked in a real kitchen with Judy. Got a pedicure. Went to the mall. Celebrated Thanksgiving with Rainy’s family and friends. Cemented a friendship with her adorable nine year old daughter, Summer. Got hooked on The Voice with Eddie and Judy. Celebrated Eddie’s birthday with several of their friends. Lots of conversation. Lots of smiles. Lots of laughter. All good, and all healing. Thank you, my friends, for being there with open arms.

After several days of recharging off the road I finally aimed “The Beast” toward the shores of South Carolina. Roughly six hours later I pulled into Edisto Beach State Park and settled into a campsite a short stroll from the surf.

I’ve been asked a lot of questions during this journey… “How long will you go?” “Aren’t you scared traveling alone?” And one of my favorites… “You DRIVE that big thing???” …but one of the most significant is “What have you learned about yourself since you’ve been on the road?” One thing I’ve understood about myself for a long time is that I NEED nature. This subject alone is worthy of a blog post all it’s own, and will probably lead into a book I’m planning on writing, but there is no doubt that I feel less alive while confined indoors, or surrounded by a city. For me, nature and nurture go hand in hand. Deep down I’ve always known this about myself, but the necessity has come to the surface while on this journey. Whether high in the mountains, deep in the forest or strolling along a shore… there’s no doubt that my soul needs nature like my body needs the air that I breath.

The moment I stepped on this beach it was like a gentle wave of peacefulness washed over me, and I thought to myself, “I am home.”

Sunset at Edisto Beach State Park

The two days I planned on spending at Edisto Beach turned into four, and I was quite tempted to stay longer, but had plans to meet friends in Florida and had a few days of traveling in between.

I don’t do a whole lot of dining out, but after a long day on the road AND a long walk on the beach I needed a meal far more than I wanted to cook, so at the recommendation of one of the park staff I ventured out to the Waterfront Restaurant. The food was good, the staff was friendly, they had free WiFi, AND the owner told me about a great place to kayak where I’d likely see dolphin!

That night the sound of the surf lulled me into a restful slumber, and before daybreak it drew me back out to the beach.

Pelicans glide above the waves at sunrise

Late that afternoon I made my way to the southern end of Edisto Island with my kayak, where I did indeed find dolphin.

Kayaking with dolphin along the shores of Edisto Island

I forgot to mention that I learned of Edisto Beach from my friends and fellow travelers, David and Beth. David also suggested I check out Botany Bay Plantation, just down the road. This is a Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Management Area with a swampy creek on one side and the Atlantic Ocean and beach on the other… with a whole lot of trees, a small lake, and a few interesting tidbits of history in between. I enjoyed taking the self guided driving tour at a leisurely pace, stopping along the way to photograph the scenery.

Tunnel of oaks through Botany Bay Plantation

First alligator sighting since returning south, at Botany Bay Plantation

Bleak Hall Plantation icehouse

At the recommendation of one of the park rangers I also enjoyed hiking Scott Creek Trail right there in the state park.

Great Egret

Regardless of my plans for the day, I was drawn to the beach for sunrise every morning. I know Jazzy and Sadie enjoy walking along the shore every bit as much as I do, but they’re also good at indulging me… sitting patiently while I stop to photograph the waves and dolphins and pelican along the way.

Dolphin pair at sunrise

Brown Pelican

Jazzy and Sadie happy to be back on the beach!

I was camped about forty miles south of Charleston, and since I’d never been there I spent one afternoon hiking throughout the historic part of town. I know I didn’t come close to seeing all there is to see, and will make a point of coming back one day to discover it in more depth. In all honesty, it’s one of those places I know I’d enjoy more if I had someone to share it with, so hopefully I’ll come back with a friend.

Battery Park

Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge

Upon my return from Charleston I discover that a Pilot Whale had beached itself just a short distance from the campground, and sadly couldn’t be saved. I know it’s often illness or age that causes a whale to do this, but I had no way of knowing the reason when I left the following day. I just did a google search to see if any answers had been posted, and discovered this was one of at least three Pilot Whales that died along this part of the coast in a matter of days. No confirmed reason yet, but it’s suspected that intestinal parasites may be the cause in at least one of the whales.

Edisto Beach State Park… home for a few days… was another one of those places I had a hard time leaving, and did so knowing that I would return. When I do, it will be to this same campground. It was recommended to me, and I can easily endorse that recommendation. The beach is marvelous, the surrounding area enchanting, and the staff was helpful and friendly.

Final Days in Florida

Posted on May 18, 2012 by fran

The first thing I have to say about Florida is… well, I was going to say it rains a lot here, but upon reflection what I really need to say is that I will be back. It did storm a lot during the weeks I spent in Florida, but now that I’m in Georgia (where it’s been storming as well) it’s not the rain I think about when I reflect on my time there. What comes to mind is the diverse beauty of this state, the old friends I was able to spend time with, and the many new friends I met along the way. This journey is about just that… savoring the blessings. It’s about nurturing a sense of peacefulness in my heart and mind that allows me to SEE the blessings for what they are, and to truly appreciate them. To those many friends… old and new… who have been a part of my journey, I thank you. You should all know that you are like precious gems to me, and I am glad to have you to carry along in my memories as I move in silence down the highways. Actually, sometimes I’m “rockin’ out”, but the memories are there regardless!

I entered Florida along the Gulf Coast, and other than my delightful little side trip inland to Ichetucknee Springs, I’ve stayed pretty near the coast all along the way. Fort Myers to the Everglades, down through the Keys and back up the East Coast. (The links lead to my blog posts about these areas) My first destination as I left the Keys was West Palm Beach. I taught a multi day workshop here a few years ago and really enjoyed what little I saw of the area. In addition, I have several friends in the vicinity, a few of whom I haven’t seen in years.

With no real urgency to get up the road, I decided to sit tight for a week. One reason behind that decision was that most, if not all, campgrounds offer a better rate by the week than by the day. I made a conscious decision awhile back to sit still more frequently for a few reasons… 1) better camping rates, 2) I’m not burning gas when I’m not moving, 3) allows me more time to get my work done. And despite what many of you think, I am working out here! Funny that I bring up all these good reasons to sit still more frequently and move at a slower pace, while at this very moment I’m preparing to literally race back across the country to Colorado to work on a book.

Anyway… I found a great county park just south of West Palm… John Prince Park, right on Lake Worth. I could not have asked for a more spacious and peaceful setting.

Our first morning there started just right. No storms! And with a fresh cup of coffee and the girls by my side we stood just outside the RV watching the sunrise and enjoying the stillness. I was JUST contemplating putting my kayak in the water for a sunrise cruise when an Alligator slowly swam by twenty feet off shore from where we stood. It didn’t completely freak me out. I was more interested in grabbing my camera than anything, but I did think better of stepping off the shore when there was not another soul around (or awake anyway).

Later that day, and several other times during the week, I did indeed kayak on the lake. I never saw another Alligator, but as expected, I did see some birds! By now it’s probably obvious that I am very intrigued by Heron and Egret. All birds for that matter, but especially the ones that are unique to me as so many in the southeast are.

John Prince Park from the water

Great Blue Heron

White Ibis cruising through the campground

I spotted this guy from quite a distance… wings spread in what looked like some sort of mating ritual, but it seemed late in the season for that, so I did a little research. What I discovered is that Anhinga (also known as Snakebird) often swim with their body submerged, with only head and neck visible above the water, giving it the appearance of a snake. Like Cormorant, Anhinga lack the oil glands that many water foul use to preen. They have to perch for long periods of time like this in order to dry their wings. Interestingly, they stab their prey with their long serrated beak, flip it into the air and gulp it down headfirst.

Anhinga

Anhinga, also known as Snakebird for obvious reasons

Female Anhinga

The Tern family still have me a bit baffled. If this is a Common Tern why does he have an orange beak? If a Forster’s Tern, why the black legs? The other Terns seem to have black caps as opposed to the little patch. If anyone has knowledge of these birds I’m all ears.

While in the West Palm area I was finally able to go out scuba diving for the first time in several years. I had hoped to go while in the Keys, but the storms prevented it. I did find a great dive shop at Jupiter Beach. The boat was a bit crowded, and the visibility was marginal, but it was a treat to reach 75′ for a drift dive along the reef. It’s an amazingly different world down there! If I felt I’d have more opportunity to dive I’d most definitely get set up with a housing and lights so I could feed my fix underwater as well.

I was grateful for the pockets of sunshine throughout the week, and especially happy to see the skies clearing my last morning on Lake Worth. All the better because my friend Gregg was joining me for one last paddle before packing up and heading north. Since I travel alone my kayak forays are almost exclusively solo, so it’s a nice treat for me to have someone along to enjoy the adventure with me, and in this case I came away with a few pics of ME on the adventure! (Thanks Gregg!)

Sunrise on Lake Worth

My friend and fellow adventurer, Gregg

photo by Gregg Dyess

Male Anhinga

Limpkin

Birds are often hard to identify, especially when they are not fully matured. While on the lake I spotted this Heron, which at first glance I thought was a young Great Blue but with a bit of research discovered it to be a Juvenile Little Blue Heron. They are born white, and on the way to adulthood take on a “piebald” coloring before maturing to a slate blue with maroon neck. Regardless, he was fun to follow.

Juvenile Little Blue Heron

As was this Great Egret…

Tri-colored Heron

After a fun morning on the water I packed up and moved north to a little campground right on Flagler Beach. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again… I LOVE the sound of the ocean!

Although they had to be on leash, Jazzy and Sadie were happy to have their toes in the sand again. I took them for a long walk down the beach as soon as we got settled. Not without my camera of course!

White-rumped Sandpiper

I thoroughly enjoyed watching large groups of Brown Pelican gliding up and down the coast… until I got back to my RV an hour later to find it COVERED in Pelican Pooh!!! Actually, I still enjoyed watching them. What I didn’t enjoy was washing their droppings off my RV. Price of admission I guess.

Brown Pelican

I have to share one last story that I posted on Facebook. My last night in Florida I’m having dinner with Gregg at a little place overlooking the ocean at Flagler Beach and my eyes are drawn to this lovely young gal walking in the surf. I didn’t have my camera with me, but Gregg handed me his tiny little point n’ shoot and hollered “Have fun!” as I trotted down the stairs, across the street and down the beach. I wonder how differently it would have come across if I’d been a man saying “Hi. I’m a photographer (standing there with a camera no bigger than my hand mind you) and I’ve been watching you from across the street.”

This is Paige and she was kind enough to indulge me in a few quick spontaneous shots. We are hoping to get together for a REAL photo shoot when I return to Florida in the winter.

Between Spring Showers

Posted on May 13, 2012 by fran

I always have the best intentions of being consistent about posting on my blog, and when I’m not I can usually blame lack of good internet connection for my delays. Most of the parks I stay at offer free WiFi, but it’s usually slow at best and that makes blogging (not to mention the other online chores I have to attend to) tedious, time consuming, and often times extremely frustrating. I can’t blame lack of connection for my latest delay though. Instead I’m blaming my friends! I know several people in the vicinity of West Palm Beach, some I’ve known a long time, and others I’ve meet during my travels. I chose to make quality time with them a higher priority than blogging. So, to the rest of you I offer my apologies for the silence.

Backing up once again… to the Florida Keys. My drive from Fort Meyers to the Keys took me through Everglades National Park. The first thing that struck me as I entered the park were the numerous “Panther Crossing” signs as I traveled down the highway. I guess it never occured to me that Panther existed down here. I don’t recall seeing them on any episodes of Flipper anyway. An Alligator Crossing sign would not have surprised me at all, but there we none posted. I stopped and put my long lens on my camera in hopes of seeing one of these big cats from my safe mobile viewing platform in The Beast, and was a bit disappointed when I got all the way through the park without one sighting! I resisted the urge to go on an Airboat/Alligator tour. I’ve just never been big on paying to be crammed in with a bunch of other tourists listening to a tour guide telling us when to look left and when to look right. Instead I took my chances, hoping to see some in the wild as I drove. I was not disappointed. These big boys were hanging out right next to the highway.

My first destination in the Keys (for no other reason than it looked like a nice park on the ocean) was Grassy Key, just north of Marathon. I loved my spot right on the water where I could kayak and snorkel only steps out my door. Most of the time I spent there was under a torrential downpour, but I was able to take advantage of pockets of sunshine from time to time. The rest of the time I was feeling lucky to have my cozy RV to climb into. There were several people tent camping right down the beach from me. Having grown up in the northwest, I’ve spent more than my fair share of time holed up inside a tent in the pouring rain… for days on end.

Double-crested Cormorant

Jazzy and Sadie were happy to see the sunshine as well. We got soaked more than once, when the sky suddenly opened up and started to pour while we were out walking.

Great Egret

Brown Pelican

I have to say that the storms did lend themselves to some amazing sunsets!

With lack of internet access there was little “work” I could do during my down time. It really is amazing how much I’ve come to rely on the internet for business and banking and researching new destinations and almost all forms of communication! I frequently find myself sitting down to my ongoing list of things to do, and scan down the page only to see that almost everything on it involves the internet in some way. While passing the time by scouring and organizing inside my RV I came across a little bucket of skipping rocks I’ve been dragging along since my time along the Columbia River Gorge. Nothing like a bit of boredom to get the creative juices cranking.

And then I came across my little chest of treasures I’ve gathered along the way….

One of the greatest blessings of this journey has been reconnecting with old friends and meeting so many new ones as I travel. Here at Grassy Key I met two delightful couples from Florida, Tracy & Jorge and Sandy & Jim. We shared a few beers, and a sunset the last night we were all there and promised to get together again when I was in their part of the state. I’ve since had dinner with Tracy and Jorge in West Palm Beach. Sandy and Jim will be on my route when I return next winter.

This little crab lived in a hole between Jim and Sandy’s RV and mine.

I had every intention of making my way by car to Key West for an afternoon, but with all the storming it just didn’t seem worth the hours on the road, so I broke camp for my next stop, John Pennekamp State Park in Key Largo. I spent time here on a scuba diving trip almost 20 years ago, and hoped to do exactly that while here. Unfortunately it was not to be as the weather continued to be more than partly nasty. I did find a few breaks to put the kayak in the water, and managed to get on a snorkel trip that took us about 5 miles off the coast when the weather finally cleared the last day there. All in all, if not for my fun neighbors- The Daniels Family, my time in Key Largo would have been a pretty much a bust.

Green Heron

A family of White Ibis right outside my RV

With a break in the weather and no dive or snorkel boats going out, I had no choice but to go to the office.

I’m on my way to Savannah Georgia today, but still have more of Florida to share. Stay tuned!! I promise it won’t be long.

Happy Mothers Day to all of you wonderful mothers out there!!!

Bird is the Word!

Posted on May 5, 2012 by fran

OK, I have to admit… I’m as capable as anyone at ignoring the work that has to be done when I can go outdoors and play, but to be stuck inside my RV for days on end, in the pouring rain, with NO internet connection has had me feeling more than a little out of sorts. I’ve been in the Florida Keys for a week… and grateful as can be for the little pockets of sunshine. I’ll save those tidbits for another post, because now that I’m connected again I have to backtrack to Fort Myers. I spent several days there, hanging out with my friend, John Snow. It rained some while there as well… stormed actually… but when it did I filled my time working (I had a great WiFi connection from my RV in his driveway!) and working out at his gym. When it WASN’T raining we were out fishing. The only fishing I’ve done in years was with my buddy Tony in Colorado a few years ago. That was my first attempt at Fly Fishing, and I loved it! Before that, as mentioned in my last post, my best memories of fishing were from a dock at the base of Mount St. Helens as a child.

Fishing from John’s boat in Pine Island Sound was fun and relaxing, and of course where you find fish, you also find fish-eating birds. And as most of you know by now I am rarely without my camera. So… with a camera in one hand and a fishing rod in the other, I was pretty content! (I may have to pull the amazing Elk shots I got with a fly rod under my arm in Colorado! ) In the mean time, here’s more of the birds of Florida…

Great Egret in flight with fresh catch

Double Crested Cormorant

I thought this shot of a Great Egret was quite comical. Looks a bit like a LONG rubber chicken under those white feathers.

Osprey with a sizable catch!

Green Heron

Osprey on the hunt

I’ve always enjoyed watching groups of Pelican glide low over the water in formation… wings literally skimming the top of the surf along a coastline. Not a behavior I observed in this sound. There must be something about the surf that draws them. Watching them fish is a treat as well, as they dive at great speeds straight into the water.

Another somewhat comical shot... Brown Pelican in flight

Great Blue Heron

I believe this is a Forster's Tern, but I'm confused by the orange beak.

I SO hoped for a closer view of this Bald Eagle!!

John’s folks live right on the water on Pine Island and have an Osprey nest in their cul-de-sac. I was fortunate to get a pretty decent view of mom and three young from their front porch. (HATE power lines!)

And from below…

Also saw Manatee, and Horseshoe Crabs…

I hope to one day dive with them!

Caught several fish, but all went free…

John was kind enough to pull off the road to indulge me in a shot of these colorful mail boxes I’d been eyeing each day as we passed by…

I don’t think we ate anything for dinner while there but fish. Yummy fish! The rest of the time I made John eat veggie foods and other healthy stuff. Between the work-outs, healthy lean foods, fishing and lots of good conversation and laughter it was a pretty great visit! Thanks again John!

And speaking of light and lean, here’s a quick, light and easy BBQ meal I enjoyed a few days ago.

Salmon on the Barbie (for one or two)

1-Tbs Brown Sugar

1-Tbs Low Sodium Soy Sauce

1-Tbs Olive Oil

Dash of lemon pepper seasoning

I Clove fresh minced garlic

Salmon fillets

Marinade for two hours. For easy clean up use a zip-lock bag. I flip it from time to time and leave it out at room temperature for at least 1/2 hour. Pre-heat grill and use cooking spray to keep Salmon from sticking. Grill about 5 minutes with skin facing up, flip and cook another five minutes or until Salmon is flaky. Slide spatula between meet and skin to serve.

Served with brown rice and grilled zucchini (light glaze of olive oil, smidge of sea salt, pepper and some of that fresh garlic from above. Throw them on shortly after the fish and flip ‘em at the half way point.

Enjoy!

New Sights and New Routines

Posted on April 26, 2012 by fran

After Navarre Beach, the next planned destination was quite a ways farther down the gulf coast to visit my friend John Snow in Fort Myers. John (another old friend from the photographic industry) cast the bait when he offered a free place to park my RV and set the hook with, “I’ll take you fishing!” I loved fishing when I was young. Most memorable were the carefree days spent fishing from the dock or a canoe on Spirit Lake, at the base of Mt. Saint Helens. (More on my memories of those days here.) I’ve had little opportunity to do much fishing as an adult, but since Hobie Kayaks are designed with fishing in mind I’m thinking it’s time to buy a rod and reel (and freshen up on my fish cleaning skills!)

The trip from Navarre to Fort Meyers is about 600 miles, which is at least 10 hours in an RV. I’ve learned that anything more than 5 or 6 hours is a LONG drive in The Beast, especially if the conditions are anything but open road and mild weather. Rather than drive all the way down the gulf coast, with an overnighter somewhere along the way as I intended, John suggested Ichetucknee Springs as a place I’d enjoy kayaking. After a little online research of the area I reserved a camp site near the north end of Ichetucknee Springs State Park, and then settled in for one last night at Navarre Beach.

When it started raining lightly just before dark I debated putting my kayak on top of my car. As mentioned in my last post, this is still a bit of a chore for me on my own, and I didn’t relish the idea of doing it in the pouring rain. The idea of getting out to celebrate another sunrise on Santa Rosa Sound got the better of me though, so I left the kayak down and ready to launch. When I woke in the middle of the night to rain so heavy it sounded like gravel hitting the roof of my RV, I wondered if I was going to regret not getting my kayak tied down on top of my car the night before. I know how quickly the weather can change though, so I fell back asleep with hopeful thoughts and visions of a beautiful sunrise.

Unfortunately it was not to be. I woke to the pouring rain and practiced avoidance over a second cup of coffee. While working up the gumption to handle what came next, I opened the door so the dogs could hop out to relieve themselves. They walked to the doorway, looked out, and then in unison looked up at me as if to say, “You’re kidding right?” I was asking myself the same thing. Not only did I have to wrestle my kayak to the roof of my car and get it strapped down tight, I had the “pulling up stakes” routine to handle as well. [For those of you who dream of doing what I'm doing, but have no RV experience, you should know that this is part of the routine EVERY time you set out for a new destination. Rain or shine!] Next step was stowing my grill and lawn chair and tools I had pulled out back into the storage compartments. Then backwash, disconnect and hose down and stow the sewer line. Unhook and roll up the water hose. Unhook the power cord and wrestle that monster back into the belly of The Beast. Bring all three slide-outs in and raise the leveling jacks. Batten down everything that could slip, slide or fall while wobbling down the road. Move the car aside and pull the RV out far enough to get the car aligned perfectly behind it. Hook up to the tow hitch, safety chains and electrical cord. Go through all the gears and leave the car running for 3 minutes before turning the key to auxiliary. And in the case of this morning… peel off the rain slicker and muddy shoes, program the GPS, and we’re good to go!

With the dogs sitting dry and happy on their platform next to me we set out down the road in the downpour. Unfortunately it didn’t take long before the wind kicked it into high gear as well, and for the next few hours I “white knuckled” it through one the most brutal drives I’ve endured to date. It was so tiring that I took advantage of several rest stops along the way just to give my muscles a break. I’ve said it before… this ol’ girl (I’m taking about my motorhome) does some serious shuckin’ and jivin’ in heavy winds, and it is my job to keep her upright and between the lines. It can be exhausting!

We finally arrived safe and sound in Fort White (just a ways northwest of Gainesville) and our quiet little campsite in the woods. When I say quiet I mean I was the only one camped there with the exception of a few full time residents of the park. It was very peaceful listening to nothing but the sound of birds happily singing in the trees. I have to add, the best part of the drive was seeing all the beautiful wild flowers along the roadways in Florida!

Ichetucknee Springs was very quiet as well. I put my kayak in the water at the north end of the park and peddled/paddled my way downstream for about two hours. With little rain this season the water level is much lower than normal, so what is normally a fairly fast moving stream (very popular place to float downstream on inner tubes!) actually took a bit of work to navigate. The low level meant dragging through the thick aquatic grasses and lily pads. With camera in hand (or in lap) I was constantly alternating between peddling where I could and pulling up flippers and rudder to paddle where I had to. All worth it though! I got a great workout AND enjoyed the amazing natural beauty, completely unblemished, all along the way. And not another soul around! I have to admit I cringed at the thought of water snakes lurking in the low hanging trees I had no choice but to go under. I’d heard tales of Water Moccasin dropping from trees into the bottom of passing boats with a sickening thud. Thankfully I did not see a single water snake on my trek. Lots of turtles though! And an amazing variety of birds! When I arrived at the south end of the park I turned around and ventured back up stream to where I started (and my car was parked).

Judging by the condition of his shell, this little guy must have tales to tell!

Cormorant comically fleeing in fear

Double-crested Cormorant

Great Egret

Great Egret in flight

Raccoon fishing up some lunch

Not a favorite shot, but the only one I saw… Male Anhinga

Common Moorhen

Little Blue Heron

American Coot

Juvenile White Ibis

Great Egret and Snowy Egret

Limpkin

I was amazed to see numerous turtles, often huddled close sharing a single log. As I drew near most would drop with a loud “plunk” into the water. Only the bravest stayed above to watch me go by. And some were curious enough to swim over and check me out from below.

Notice the baby turtle balanced on the back of what I assume is his mother.

Great Egret

Great Egret with White Ibis fishing in the background

Black-crowned Night Heron

The next day I reconnected with a new friend I met while in Colorado a few months ago working on my book. Elissa, not only shares my daughter’s name (the only other place I’ve seen that spelling is on the bow of a ship in Galveston Bay), she shares my love of nature and adventure. She brought her sister, Libby, along for some kayaking on the Santa Fe River. They rented a two person kayak at Santa Fe Canoe Outpost in High Springs and Lars, the owner, was kind enough to drag my kayak along for the drop off and the pick up down river. This was a great 3 hour adventure!

I can’t help but wonder what lesson the wise old turtle is sharing with the youngster!

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron in flight

Next stop… Fort Myers. In the mean time I have to share another new routine I’ve begun. While focusing on developing a new exercise routine, I’ve also been pondering “diet”. Not that I’m needing to diet per se, but I had put on a few pounds since my journey began in September and lack of regular exercise was not the only culprit. I wasn’t necessarily eating more, but I was eating lazy. After long days on the road, and lots of hours out shooting and hiking, and then facing the hours of editing and blogging and other work I had to keep up with, it was easy to eat what was… EASY! When it came to keeping my weight in check I learned one very basic rule from my Father years ago… in order to maintain your weight you have to burn as many calories as you consume. To lose weight you burn MORE calories than you consume. Pretty simple. What was never factored in was metabolism, and I never understood why mine was always so slow. I consumed relatively little food throughout the day. That was my routine. The “three squares” that we were brought up on would never work for my body unless I were training for a triathlon! What I discovered recently, and I will share in much more depth in future posts, is the importance of eating “clean” and lean AND more frequently. Another huge change for me! I had been ignoring the “hunger pangs” my entire adult life. Now I have to remember to eat every 3 hours! I literally had to set a timer on my cell phone to go off ever three hours as a reminder. The difficulty is fitting food into a very active lifestyle. When kayaking or hiking or beach combing for hours on end I have to remember to bring along not only water, but a snack as well. And not just any snack, but a snack made up of lean protein and complex carbs. I will keep y’all posted on how these new routines are working out for me, but in the mean time here’s a recipe I concocted for some healthy snack bars that are easy to take along on my adventures. When I say concocted I mean I looked at some recipes and then adapted them to fit my new routine. I’ve never been big on exact measurements in the kitchen, and prefer “a dab of this and a dash of that” to suit my taste. In the case of this recipe I use coconut oil rather than butter for example, because I’ve read wonderful things about the benefits of coconut oil, and as much as I love butter, it’s guaranteed to end up as lard on my thighs!

Wholesome Fruit and Nut Bars

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 cup honey

1/4 cup water

1 cup coconut oil

1 tsp sea salt

6 cups rolled oats

2 cups roasted, sliced almonds

2 cups wheat germ

1/2 cup sesame seeds

1 cup dried pineapple, papaya, mango (or mixed… use whatever sounds good!)

1 cup raisins

1 cup chopped pitted dates

In large pan heat the sugar, coconut oil, honey, water and salt. Simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in oats, almonds, wheat germ and sesame seeds. Cook while stirring for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and add fruits. Pour into jelly roll or baking pans lined with wax paper. Score deeply into bars. Allow to cool for an hour. Cool in freezer for 20 minutes before breaking apart.

I store half in the fridge and half in the freezer for a twice daily, healthy, high energy treat.

Enjoy!!

On The Road Again

Posted on April 15, 2012 by fran

Wow. It seems like it’s been ages since I last sat down to write. Not much to say while sitting still in Dallas. It was great spending time with my daughter, Elissa, and some good friends while there. The rest of my time was spent tackling projects, many of them long over due. There’s still a list of things I did not get to (always a list!), but I did drive away feeling much less burdened.

I headed out before sunrise on Thursday morning with Caddo Lake on my radar… and my new Hobie Kayak strapped to the top of Zippy. Once I got past the construction zone on FM 423 and hit the highway I felt lighter than air… giddy almost, to be back on the road. I watched the sun rise in a blaze of glory as I drove through Greenville on Hwy 380 and spent many miles reflecting on what I enjoy about Texas in the spring. Most of you know that Texas is not my home state, and the northwest girl in me often felt land-locked in the Dallas area… so far from the cool mountains and ocean breeze. Texas does have it’s endearing qualities though, and Spring is my favorite season here. After enduring a dormant winter, (which I didn’t this year), where everything from the ground to the sky is a shade of brown or gray, it’s a delight to watch the world come back to life in vivid color. I love watching the young crops dancing gently in the breeze, and the way the clouds look painted in the blue sky. I enjoy the wildflowers which seem to sprout up indiscriminately along the roadsides. And there’s the newborn calves… always so darn cute! While driving I was tickled to watch three young calves running playfully through a field and it struck me that you never see adult cows at play. Why is that? At what point do they lose their playfulness? As I pondered this I was struck by the symbolism. At what point do us humans outgrow the simple joys of childhood… our playfulness, and innocence, and sense of wonder? These thoughts made me rejoice and give thanks to have found my way back. I love looking at the world through the eyes of the child in me once again!

My mind was racing with thoughts as I drove. Not burdensome thoughts, but joyful and enlightening thoughts, and a renewed excitement about the journey ahead. It occurred to me that this is the time when I am almost overwhelmed with the most poignant, and poetic and often profound thoughts… most of them long forgotten by the time I’m sitting still and can write them down. I have to get myself in the habit of using the voice recorder on my iPhone!

So I’m driving down the highway singing along to the tunes, and thinking to myself that I could probably write some pretty darn good song lyrics on the open road, and Sugarland’s “Gotta Be Something More” comes on. Speaking of poignant! What a perfect song. Pretty much the feelings leading up to my journey! Great song! Listen to the words… Gotta Be Something More

The closer I got to Caddo Lake the more excited I was to take my kayak out for her maiden voyage. I couldn’t think of a more perfect and peaceful place to put this baby to the test than one of my favorite spots in Texas! As I’m mulling this over it dawned on me that I’m going to have to come up with a name for my new addition. Like Zippy (my Honda) and The Beast (my monster size Winnebago) she’ll probably name herself in time. Interesting that boats and autos are thought of as female in gender isn’t it? I’m sure there’s a very good reason behind this that dates way back in history. There is one addition in here that is most definitely male in gender though, and that is the GPS system I researched and purchased for my travels. This bad boy is designed specifically for RV travel. I’ve programed it with a male voice, and more importantly the length, height and width of my RV and tow car, and it (he) keeps me on safe and legal routes along the way. He also warns me of sharp turns ahead, speed limit changes, and steep downhill grades. (Rand McNally TripMaker RVND 7710) It stands to reason he should have a name right? And it just so happened I watched one of my all time favorite movies the other night, The Last of the Mohicans, and there he was! I’m tellin’ ya, if I could have anyone blazing the trail for me, and keeping me safe on my journey, it would be Hawkeye. Seriously! Daniel Day Lewis never looked better! See for yourself!

“Hawkeye” got me to Caddo Lake State Park safe and sound, and once settled I wasted no time getting my kayak on the water for the first time. I’d been wanting to get a kayak for quite some time, and as is my habit when purchasing most anything these days, I researched at length before taking the plunge. After a test drive with my new friends at Oceanside Dive and Kayak, and a thumbs up from my photographer friend Randy Jay Braun in Hawaii, I decided on the Hobie Revolution II. This kayak is genius! And one of the benefits is that with peddles and a paddle I can work the lower and upper body every time I go out! Plus it’s stable enough that I can take my gear and get shots I couldn’t touch from shore! More on the kayak later. In the mean time I have some visual treats to share.

I was very impressed with the Caddo Lake State Park, very clean, spacious and peaceful. I had one whole corner of the campground to myself until Friday night.

Zippy and The Beast with my new Hobie Kayak in Caddo Lake State Park

I didn’t have to peddle very far before I spotted this Great Blue Heron. I spent about 30 minutes following this guy along the shoreline, where he mostly walked… doing his best to hide behind the trees.

Great Blue Heron taking flight

Only one sighting of a Great Egret that night which I found hard to believe since I’ve seen them in abundance on my other two visits here.

Great Egret in flight

The next morning I put in at Johnson’s Ranch boat launch and headed for “Turtle Shell”. This is a maze of Cypress Trees so thick it is impassible to most. There are a few narrow channels that only the shallowest of boats can get through. Even in the kayak I often had to pull up the flippers and rudder and paddle my way over the hidden roots, and through the thick quagmire of Lily Pads. Paddling across these was like paddling across a sheet of rubber, and a great upper body workout! Sadly I was pretty much skunked when it came to the bird sightings I was hoping for… (too early in the season)… but I found it beautiful just the same.

This may have been a lucky catch as I read online that the Yellow-crowned Night Heron is uncommon at Caddo Lake. This guy was sure trying hard to catch someone’s attention and I don’t think it was mine. I have to assume this was some sort of matting display, and he repeated it numerous times while calling out with a loud high-pitched quawk!

Yellow-Crowned Night Heron

Wish I could take my girls out on the kayak!

I’ve always thought Caddo Lake was a rare Texas gem. Interestingly it’s the largest natural lake in the state.

Most of the Lily’s weren’t yet open, but I did find a few along the way.

I was so baffled by the lack of bird sightings that I did some research after my morning on the water, and ended up driving out to the Caddo Lake Wildlife Refuge to get some advice. The gals I spoke with there were very friendly and helpful. They explained that the birds are busy building their nests as opposed to feeding along the shoreline and hanging out in the trees as they do much of the year. Makes sense. And the only other times I have been here were in October and June. For those of you wanting to check this place out, and I would highly recommend it, those are two great months to be here!

It was suggested that I might want to try putting in from the Wildlife Management Land’s launch site, so after a bite of lunch and a walk with the dogs that is where I went. I’ve gotta say that launching here and setting out through the dense bog of Cypress trees alone was kinda eerie.

Right before taking this video, only yards from the boat ramp, something BIG slammed into my kayak right under the bow. I have to admit it scared the daylights out of me. First thought… alligator. It was more likely just a large fish, and they continued to jump as I paddled through this swamping scene.

IMG_1200 (This is a small portion of the video clip I did on my iPhone. You may have to click on the link twice to pull up the video. Here and again on the next page.)

I’m still in awe of the mystical beauty of this place…

They mark the "trail" through this place with old license plates.

The only other folks I saw in three hours of peddling/paddling.

And just when I started to think I’d been completely skunked by the birds once again I hear the unmistakable “whoosh” sound of a large bird flying very close by…

With chills running down my spine I pulled up the flippers and rudder and followed this guy deep into the thick marshy bog. Sooooo worth it!

Barred Owl

The next morning I pulled up stakes before sunrise I set out once again. Next stop… New Orleans! Stay tuned for more on that, PLUS, I’ll be changing things up a bit here. Soon to come… healthy RV recipes, my new workout routine, what I’ve learned along the way, things that make living in an RV easier for me, favorite campgrounds, and more. I asked for feedback and suggestions in my last post. I’m listening!

Journey in Focus

with Fran Reisner

Tag Archives: Egret

Memories of Florida

Friends along Florida Waterways

Florida Take Two!

Drawn Back to the Sea

Final Days in Florida

Between Spring Showers

Bird is the Word!

New Sights and New Routines

On The Road Again